Mortise gauge and cutting tool



pl'l 23, 1946- R. vA. SCHMIDT 2,399'Q45 MORTISE GAUGE AND CUTTING vTOOL Filed Sept. '7, 1945 INVENTOIL Epcharc .f'lchmjldt ATIDR N EYB Patented Apr. 23, 1946 @DFI-*ICE MORTISEGAUGE AND'CTTING 'rooL Richard a. schmidt, Vallejo, Calif. l i IApplication September 7, 1943, Serial No. 501,496

I 1' claim. (ci. '14s-fac);

This invention relates to mortise gauge and cutting tools, and its general object is to provide a tool that is primarily designed `for marking or cutting the outline of a hinge mortise yor seat in a door or its jamb, as well as windows or the like, in an easy, expeditious and accurate manner, the tool including gauge means to determine the exact width and length of the mortise desired, and the gauge is adjustable and holds the tool square with the door or jamb so as to eliminate any possibility of inaccuracy when cutting the mortise outline, and the cutting action is brought about by striking the head of the tool with a sharp blow, to cause the blades thereof to penetrate the door or jamb.

A further object is to provide a tool of the character set forth, that is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and extremely eicient in operation, use and service.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accom-- panying drawing and specifically pointed out in the appended claim.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the tool which orms the subject matter of the present invenion.

Figure 2 is a partial longitudinal sectional view taken through the tool.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view thereof.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 4-4 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of oneof the blades.

Referring to the drawing in detail, it will be noted that my tool includes a rectangular body I having a handle 2 formed on and extending in alignment with and from one end thereof, and the body is provided with a relatively shallow substantially square recess 3 in the under face thereof, the recess extending from adjacent the front end of the body for approximately twothirds its length and is of a width substantially coextensive with that of the body, as best shown in Figure 3. The handle is outwardly bulged in rounded formation to provide a convenient gripping surface, and the recessed portion of the body is enlarged or thickened to provide'a head 4 that is fori-ned with a rounded upper striking face 5.

lRemovably mountedy in therecess and disposed in engagement with the front and side walls thereof are elongated flanged' cutting blades 6, 'I

and 8, that have angled confronting ends ai-,

ranged in fitting contact with each other. The blades are secured within the recesses by an anchoring plate 9 that bears against the anges of the blades, as best shown in Figure 2, which likewise illustrates that the beveled edges of the blades extend outwardly beyond the recess to perform their cutting function, and that the plate 9 is secured in place by a screw bolt ID arranged centrally with respect thereto and which of course is threaded in the body.

A gauge member is adjustably associated with the body and includes a cross sectional right angle bar Il of a length to extend 'upon opposite sides of the body and formed on the horizontal portion I2 of the bar, to extend centrally and rearwardly therefrom isan attaching plate I3 having a slot I4 along the center thereof for mounting the gauge member on the shank of a screw bolt I5 for slidable movement on the under face of the body for adjustment relative to the blade 6, to bring about a mortise of the desired width, and the bolt I5 is of course threaded in the body. The bar and attaching plate I3 are provided with slots I6 that extend along the sides of the attaching plate, for receiving the outer or beveled edges of the side blades 'I and 8, as

will be apparent upon inspection of Figure 3.

Formed on the sides of the attaching plate for disposal along the length thereof are upturned flanges I 1 that bear against the sides of the y body, and the outer face of one or both of the flanges I1 have graduation marks I8 thereon for cooperation with an index mark I9 on the body, to determine the width of the mortise desired. One end portion of the bar I I also has graduation marks 20 thereon and the graduation marks I8 and 20 are numbered in inches and portions thereof, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 3. The graduation marks 20 provide an indicatorto determine the length of the mortise desired, and

' it will be noted as best shown in Figure 4 that the upturned flanges Il are reduced to provide shoulders 2| on the inner faces thereof along their length, with the side edges of the body mounted on the shoulders.

From the above description and disclosure in the drawing, it is believed that the use of my tool will be obvious, but it might be mentioned that the gauge member is adjusted relative to the blade 6, and tightened in adjusted position through the medium of the screw bolt I5. The

tool is then positioned on the edge of a door or the like, with the vertical portion of the bar Il bearing against the side face of the door and with the edges of the blade bearing against the edge of the door. Thence the head 4 is struck a sharp blow for causing the blades to penetrate the door and thus mark or provide the outline of a mortise therein. It will be further obvious that the outline provides a guide for cutting the mortise in thetusual manner, fby achisel, or the like. Inth'eevent thelength o thermortise 'desired is greater than that of the space between the blades l and 8, two or more outlines may be` provided and the length can be determined by What I claim is:

An adjustable cutting tool for mortising, comprising a body formed with a rectangular recess in the under face thereof, a plurality of anged blades, one disposed against each of three walls of the recess and projecting beyond the face of the body to cut the outline of a mortise, a plate removably attached in the recess and engaging the blades and the flanges thereof to hold the samev inplacei; anzadjustable guide member, having la walliparallel tdthe`intei'niediate one of three blades, slidably mounted on the under face of said body, said guide member having parallel slots to receiveV the projecting edges of the other two blades, 'thereby to move over the under face oi thev body and plate to position the blades with 

